Trainspotting (1996)

Trainspotting (1996)

8/10

Starring

Ewan McGregor

Ewen Bremner

Jonny Lee Miller

Kevin McKidd

Robert Carlyle

Kelly Macdonald

Directed by Danny Boyle

Over the years since its release in 1996, I have seen this movie set on an Academy Award nominated screenplay, over a dozen times and it never gets old seeing Mark get ahead of his friends in the end.

Following the lives of drug addicts who struggle with the, “this will be my final time” symptom and finding themselves back on the same thing they swore to stay away from was funny.

The movie touches the difficult times living in Edinburgh, drug abuse, neglect and diseases which can be gotten from sharing needles.

This Scottish movie had a great cinematographer on the controls, then add to that a wonderful visual effect team. Both performances will be much appreciated when the men use heroin and they take you for a ride.

There is no dull moment in this classic, the black comedy is compelling funny and it leaves behind many great scenes for you to remember after you are done watching.

Based on Irvine Welsh 1993 book of the same name, Trainspotting the movie has been recognized by the British Film Institute as one of the best British movies and in Scotland seen as the best Scottish movie.

The movie stars many British actors who now live in the U.S., but then the unknowns were carving a legacy from themselves. Ewan McGregor has done very well for himself in Hollywood with roles in Star Wars as Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Moulin Rouge! (2001). Robert Carlyle plays Rumpelstiltskin in the series Once Upon a Time and Jonny Lee Miller plays Sherlock Holmes in the series Elementary.

Directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire) the story cuts across the life of five men one of which was an older slightly crazy man who ironically didn’t do drugs like the other four, but gets his own high from bar fights.

All five know themselves and their drug life carried them through the struggles of having to steal and do anything just to get high.

Their constant drug use led to the death of an innocent child, one of them and caused Mark and Spud to be arrested. Spud was sent to jail to serve time. Mark “Rent Boy” Renton (Ewan McGregor) was forced to go for a rehab program.

After being clean, Mark was drag back into the world of drugs by his friends again as they have decided to go the other route instead of using the drugs they decided to do one major score of selling the drugs which will bring money for them to try and live a better life.

The one final score did not turn out great for everyone involved and that is how the movie ended.

Trainspotting is that one film you need to have in your library and the decision to make a sequel after twenty-one years of the first, is something I’m willing to explore.